


soldier, poet, king

by consistently_inconsistent



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: (you'll see), ???? Choi Yeonjun, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bard Choi Beomgyu, Kang Taehyun is Bad at Feelings, Knight Kang Taehyun, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Prince Choi Soobin, Prince Huening Kai, Prince Jeon Jungkook, Siblings Choi Soobin & Huening Kai, Siblings Choi Soobin & Jeon Jungkook, Siblings Huening Kai & Jeon Jungkook, becuase i wanted them to have magical powers, choi beomgyu is a little shit but everyone loves him, huening kai just wants to find his brother jeez, i was disassociating to it and then bam this happened, inspired by soldier poet king by the oh hellos, love triangle kinda but it sorts itself out, magical powers!!!, technically their supposed to be a king a soldier and a poet but you'll see, the gays are normalized in this medieval au because i said so, the yeonbin sideplot comes a bit later but tis heavily featured yes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29751342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consistently_inconsistent/pseuds/consistently_inconsistent
Summary: 3 years.3 years is a long time for someone to be missing. Most people people who ventured where Soobin had had gone missing though, so perhaps it was to be expected. Thousands upon thousands, not strong enough to survive the snow nor smart enough to survive the fire - well no, that was wrong, many people hadn't gone missing, many people had died, some had gone missing and then come back, Taehyun can count them on one hand.Kai paces his room, footsteps quick and distressed as he walks the expanse of his chambers again and again and again. Taehyun sits on one of the prince's chairs, tall and velvet, with his arms crossed over his chest and face set into a frown. Kai's room is large, so he has space to continue his pacing, but the sound of his feet on the carpeted floor are becoming agitated. Taehyun wants to yell at him to stop, he's on the verge of a headache."Kai," he says, voice far too sharp considering he's talking to royalty, "stop.";On the 3rd year of Prince Soobin's departure to slay the crimson dragon to the east, the last remnant of magic in or around the kingdom, Prince Huening Kai, his trusty Knight, and a clueless bard leave for a quest only one of them wants to go on.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	soldier, poet, king

**Author's Note:**

> not edited so there's gonna be a 108219837204 gramatical errors on this thing but yes!!!
> 
> playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0urqsm6NhlmRIQww0sWEP6?si=UwTlkzV0SvWefs9uIAL8Qw  
> (every song on here is one that beomgyu will probably sing at some point during this fic because yes)

_There will come a soldier_   
_Who carries a mighty sword_   
_He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_   
_Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord_   
_He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_

Today marks 3 years since Soobin's disappearance.

Kai and Taehyun had been 15 when he left, still young and still naive, still sure that the older boy would be back. While Kai, now at 18, likes to say he is no longer quite so young nor so naive, he still holds onto the hope that Soobin is out there. Taehyun, decidedly no longer as young or as naive, knows better. Knows that the odds of the prince being alive after more than a 1000 days out there, up in the icy mountains of the east, or even worse, at the fiery caverns further up ahead, where the crimson dragon he'd been sent to slay resides, are slim to none. Nevertheless, Kai is adamant, insists every day that Soobin is out there, alive, and on his way back. Taehyun is fairly certain this is wrong.

The first thing Taehyun was taught during his knight training, was that after a 1000 days had passed, the missing were to be labelled dead.

Soobin had been gone for a 1095. The King would give him a 1100 before pronouncing him officially dead. 

Second son's are dispensable, that's what The King used to say. Taehyun remembers it clearly, standing at Kai's side as his personal knight as the King lectured his three sons on their individual roles as servants to the kingdom and their lineage. That's why Soobin was the one they sent on the quest. Kai, being the youngest, was there to charm, to marry off to some young princess when he came of age. Jungkook, being the oldest, was there to take the throne when the time came. Soobin, well, Soobin at this point was most probably dead, no matter how much Kai wished it wasn't so. And Taehyun knew how badly Kai wished for it, pleading every night at his bed to an imaginary god Taehyun didn't think was there to begin with, praying for his brother to come back - but Taehyun, 18, _knows better_. 

3 years. 3 years is a long time for someone to be missing. Most people people who ventured where Soobin had travelled had gone missing though, so perhaps it was to be expected, thousands upon thousands, not strong enough to survive the snow nor smart enough to survive the fire. Well no, that was wrong, many people hadn't gone missing, many people had _died_ , some had gone missing and then come back, Taehyun can count them on one hand. 

Kai paces his room, footsteps fast and distressed as he walks the expanse of his chambers again and again and again. Taehyun sits on one of the prince's plush chairs, tall and velvet, with his arms crossed over his chest and face set into a frown. Kai's room is large, incredibly so, so he has space to continue his pacing, but the sound of his feet on the carpeted floor are becoming repetitive and agitated. Taehyun wants to yell at him to stop, he's on the verge of a headache.

"Kai," he says, voice sharper than should be appropriate considering he's talking to royalty, "stop."

Surprisingly, it seems to work. Kai strides back towards him and collapses on the chair opposite his. His legs are spread wide in front of him, a position unbecoming of a prince, one that would've got Kai yelled at if a parent or teacher were around. Kai leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands. Taehyun doesn't say anything. He knows how distressed the prince is, Taehyun would be too if his brother was to be pronounced dead in 5 days. 

Kai pulls at his hair, knuckles going white with the force he applies, and Taehyun hisses. "Kai," he says, "hurting yourself isn't going to help."

"Well nothing else does either!" Kai yells.

Taehyun reels back in surprise. Kai is a gentle person, always has been, kind and optimistic, never aggressive, never angry - that was always Taehyun's role in their dynamic. Now, Kai borders on scary. His eyes are dark and desperate, his lips are twisted into a wolfish snarl, and his hands are fisted together, nails digging into his palms, Taehyun's almost afraid he's going to draw blood. Taehyun remains stoic as Kai deflates, the anger fizzing out of him like air from a popped balloon, mumbling out a barely legible "sorry." 

"Anger isn't going to help either," Taehyun says, voice quiet but firm.

"That's rich coming from you," Kai says dryly, "two days ago you punched a guard for - what was it again? Insulting father?"

"He insulted the entire royal family, said you guys were unfit to lead, something about being greedy."

"He's not wrong," Kai says, sinking into his chair.

"It doesn't matter whether or not he is," Taehyun replies, "he's a knight, his loyalties lie with the King no matter what that implies."

Kai lets out a humourless laugh, getting up to walk over to his window, leaning against the windowpane. "Ah Taehyunnie," he says, "always so righteous. Perfect little knight." Taehyun rolls his eyes. "I try," he replies, "and I'm not little - I'll have you know that I'm one of the tallest knights at the palace, you're family is just freakishly tall." Kai laughs, a small, fast, barely there sound but one that Taehyun recognizes as real. Relief floods his system - Kai hadn't laughed all day. He's not the same when he doesn't, his distinctive boisterous laughter is a staple around the palace, a sound everyone in it can recognize.

Kai turns around, leaning against the wall beside the window but turning his face so he can continue to look through it. The light illuminates his profile, lighting up the strong line of his jaw and the curve of his nose. Taehyun's heart would've skipped a beat if he wasn't so used to looking at Kai's face. "I don't know what to do, Hyun," he says, voice tired, "I-I know he's still out there," he says, voice firmer, "If I-if I was just given the opportunity to go look for him! I know I could find him Taehyun, I know it!" Kai stutters through the sentence, but he's still firm in what he says, eyes determined, hands fisted. "I can fight, I'm good at it, and I'm strong - If I was just given the chance, that's all I need!"

Taehyun stays quiet. He's supposed to support all of Kai's decisions, he's a knight not an advisor, but the thought of Kai out there alone is nightmare inducing. Kai is strong, there's no doubt about that. He can't out spar Taehyun just yet but he is physically stronger than him, he's proved it by challenging him to arm wrestling matches at any given opportunity. Plus he's good on a horse, and he's far from unintelligent. Still, even the strongest, smartest, toughest men have failed at the journey Kai wants to go on, and while Kai is strong, he is far, far, from invincible.

It's also not possible for the mere fact that the King would never, ever, allow it. Kai is his golden ticket of sorts, tall and strong and undeniably attractive, an object of affection for scores of princesses with his long dark hair and gentle presence. He has been for years now, ever since he turned 16 and his voice deepened and his muscles grew into his height. Easily the easiest of all his siblings to marry off, with the many kingdom's already clamoring for him to marry their daughters. The prince was charming to a fault, silver tongued and starry eyed - the perfect little prince for some kingdom's perfect little princess. A deadly injury or even a badly placed scar would make all that considerably harder, and this sort of adventure would likely bring both. 

"I don't think that chance is quite in the realm of possibility, Kai," Taehyun says simply.

Kai sighs, slouching against the wall, "I know," he says, "I mean I could always just go and do it but-"

"No." Taehyun says firmly. "You will not."

Kai pouts at him, but Taehyun can feel the gears in his head churning. Kai, despite his gentle exterior and kind words, is reckless, jumps into far too many things far too quickly and with far too little thought. Taehyun is more calculated - despite his affinity for unscheduled bouts of anger - thinks every possible aspect and result through till he can predict practically any possible outcome. It's what makes them a good pair. 

Kai sghs, "I know," he says, but his voice is light and careless, and Taehyun knows he's considering it anyway, probably thinking through how to get away with it. "I'm going for a walk," Kai says, and Taehyun stands up to accompany him, hand reaching for the sword rested on the floor. "Alone please," Kai says, making Taehyun shoot him a suspicious glare, "I just need some time to think Taehyunnie, don't worry, I'll just wander around the kingdom a little, nothing to worry about."

Taehyun's about to protest but Kai is already pulling off his crown and pulling out his cloak, hiding the broad red and gold sleeves of his lavish, richly embroidered tunic under the plain black cloth, leaving only the very ends of black trousers in sight, the material visually expensive but nothing too outrageous and soon to be hidden under his shoes. He puts on his walking boots, simple brown things that don't betray the fact that their made of the finest leather available to man, and laces them up. He stands up and fastens the cloak around his neck, grabbing his emergency sword and strapping it into the hilt on the side of his waist, hidden under the large cloak. He grins at Taehyun before pulling open the door.

"I'm serious about you not going after Soobin on your own Kai!" Taehyun calls after him, but Kai is already out the door. 

Taehyun clutches the hilt of his sword in his palm and collapses against the chair once again. He waits about 10 minutes, mind restless, fingers drumming against the plush chair, before he gets off the chair and runs out of the Princes bedroom. He rushes towards the knightmares quarters, a few towers away from where the royal family stays, and quickly enters his own bedroom. A fair bit smaller than the Prince's, but more than enough for a single person. He cards through his own, once again much smaller, closet and pulls out his own cloak, brown and much shorter than the Prince's, not nearly as bothered about concealing its wearers identity, ending around the middle of his thighs. He messes up his hair and throws off his armor, the clean slicked back look and chainmail reserved for Knightly activities gone as he pulls his hood over his face and makes his way out of his room, his sword placed in its hilt, a comforting presence on the side of his hip. 

He closes his door behind him and walks out of the palace, far less bothered about being sneaky than Kai, who's not freely allowed to leave the Palace as he pleases. Taehyun walks out of the palace without much thought, waving goodbye to his friends at the gate, not bothering to take the secret pathway he knows Kai employs to escape the palace. Once he's out of the palace he makes his way to the tavern - Heuning Kai's favorite bard plays there every night, and Taehyun knows it's his favorite place to disappear to when he escapes the palace. 

_There will come a ruler_   
_Whose brow is laid in thorn_   
_Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_   
_Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord_   
_Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_

Kai loves the kingdom at night, It's always bright, full of light, the streets strewn with paper lanterns and lit up with children holding sparklers. It's easier to blend in at night, a few other mysterious gentlemen in dark cloaks wander the streets, Kai's sure their intentions are very different from his own. He'd done this for the first time on the night of his 13th birthday, when 15 year old Soobin had finally let his little brother accompany him on one of his midnight adventures into the city, under the watchful gaze of Soobin's personal knight, an exceedingly beautiful man named Hyunjin. 

Kai remembers the night like it was yesterday, the sound of the city, children laughing, teenagers dancing, adults drinking, happy and carefree and so much freer than anything Kai was used to. The palace was, is, and probably always will be governed by its rules, stand straight, sit correctly, be polite, speak clearly, rules upon rule upon rule. The town is different, it's what Kai loves most about it. It's also a constant reminder of Soobin, Kai's dear, dear older brother, who'd loved him and raised him and made him who he was now. Kai's the youngest child, important for very little. No royal duties, no major responsibilities except maintaining an image. Their oldest brother, Jungkook, was a whole 5 years older than Kai, already 18 and taking on royal duties when Kai was a teenager. But Soobin was only 2 years older than him, and a constant presence in Kai's life, a warm enduring figure.

A figure that Kai knew, without a shadow of a doubt, was very much alive and out there, waiting to come back.

He knew Taehyun thought he was naive for believing it, but kai knows, is sure of it in fact.

Soobin is out there, and Kai could find him if only he was given the opportunity to.

Unfortunately, so far there has been no opening for any sort of opportunity. Instead of getting ready to go find his brother, Kai is here, on the streets of the city he grew up in but only got to explore under the glare of nightfall. Kai loves it all the same, although the thought of Soobin bears down in the back of his mind, as it has for the past 3 years ever since Soobin had left on his quest. The quest was deceivingly simple, all Soobin had to do was get rid of the last remnant of Magic in Fiori. Magic was dangerous, it corrupted and seduced and as such it was their duty, as leaders of the kingdom, to get rid of it before it caused irreparable harm. Unfortunately, the last remnant of magic anywhere near Fiori, was the crimson dragon. A beast so terrible it hadn't even been given a name, situated far off, beyond the icy mountains in the east, further up in fiery chasms of Fiori's outermost mountains. And Soobin had to go slay it. 

Soobin remains a permanent thought in Kai's head, has for so so so long now, and won't cease until Soobin is home again.

And god, does Kai want to bring him home. 

As usual, Kai's journey around the town brings him to a familiar old Tavern. It was Soobin's favorite place in the town, one he'd discovered because of his unlikely friendship with the barmaid, a stunningly beautiful woman named Kim Jisoo who had fire in her eyes and gave Kai his first ever drink on his 18th birthday. Also the only person in town who knew of Kai's visits - except Taehyun, of course. The place is, rather uncreatively, named The Innkeeper's Tavern, and is always shrouded in candlelight, the smell of beer, and the sound of clinking glasses and excited children. It has a small collection of staff, Jisoo of course, the barmaid and tender, with flowing dark hair and biting wit that could entertain the most stoic of customers. Aside from here there are a host of waiters and waitresses, all exceedingly pleasant despite Kai's sketchy getup every time he visits. Then there's the bard, a constant presence at the bar, keeping customers engaged with his honey deep voice and twinkling eyes.

He's the first person Kai sees when he steps into the bar. Lute clutched in his hand as he sings to a group of children, quiet and soft, barely discernible over the chatter of the bar. He's quite beautiful really, Kai may go as far as to say breathtaking, considering Kai still does a double take every time he sees him. Kai has seen his fair share of beautiful people - his best friend and personal knight who he spends every single day with, for example, has large eyes and angular features that could rival any prince Kai has met - but this boy is something unique to himself. Tall but slim, with fluffy dark hair and delicate features, full pink lips always split into a happy smile, eyes bright and crinkled at the corners.

His shirt is white silk, and he wears a leather bodice of green, not cinched tightly, but fitted to his slight frame. A leather belt, covered in beautiful etched designs, circle his hips and his pants are a light brown, loose in the legs, but cinched below the knees with a row of brass buttons. His calves and feet are bare, but Kai can spot a set of tall winter boots resting in the corner of the tavern next to a long, dark blue brocade jacket with bright brass buttons down the front, folded neatly on its spot on the floor. 

"Oh! You're back!" A familiar voice says, and Kai looks away from the bard to meet Jisoo's eyes, she's pouring out a pitcher of beer for a man with his family, and gestures over to the bar saying, "go sit, I'll be right with you."

Kai nods wordlessly, making his way to the bar and grabbing a chair. Most people come to the Tavern with their families, so the bar remains largely unoccupied, save for Kai himself and a couple at his far end, holding hands and knocking their knees together mindlessly. Kai catches their eyes through the hem of his hood, the two girls smile at him despite his decidedly shady appearance, before quickly returning their gazes to each other. Kai raps his knuckles against the wooden surface of the bar table and looks around, forcibly stopping himself from looking back at the bard once again, out of fear of getting caught staring. He's been on the precipice of getting caught a few times before, he doesn't want to push it quite yet. 

Jisoo returns to the bar in a flash, ducking under the table and showing up opposite Kai with a grin. "So, what can I do for you today _Kamal_?" She asks, "would you like a drink or will tea do?" Kai chuckles, "a drink please," he says, before adding, "had a bad day." Jisoo hums in understanding, "I'm sure you did," she says, all too aware about what today marked, she's always been blunt that way, honest to a fault - Kai admires her for it, there are few as painfully honest with you when you're a prince. Jisoo pours him a pitcher of beer and says, "you're still sure he's out there?"

"Positive," Kai replies.

Jisoo hums in response. Kai knows that she's one of the few who truly believes him. She fixes him a short look that Kai can't quite decipher, somewhere between amused, interrogatory, excited and serious - Kai didn't know it was possible to show that range of expressions all at one. "So," She says, putting away the pitcher and pushing Kai's mug towards, before leaning over the bar table, arms crossed and body leaning over them, "what are you going to do about it?"

Kai blinks at her, before sighing. "What can I do about it?"

Jisoo's eyes twinkle with something mysterious, lip slowly spreading into a grin."Well," she says, leaning closer still, as if she's sharing some sort of secret with him, "there's a lot you can do Kamal, you've just gotta have the guts to do them." She stares at Kai seriously for a second, the playfulness washing away to leave serious, fiery eyes and lips set into a determined line. Kai blinks back at her, reeling at the sudden change in atmosphere, nodding slowly because he's afraid he doesn't quite remember to respond any other way, almost as if he were under some sort of spell. The moment is over as soon as it starts though, Jisoo leans back, palms flat on the table and face one again split into a friendly smile. "Now, what else can I do for you? You want some snacks? To meet someone maybe?" She says, with a wiggle of her eyebrows. 

Kai's confused, but he also feels heat bubbling to his face and given Jisoo's smirk he's sure that his face has reddened a fair bit. "No, no, nothing like that!" He says, waving his hands around in front of him in a feeble attempt to simultaneously hide his face and reject Jisoo's offer to hook him up with somebody. "Awe, are you sure?" Jisoo pouts, "There's a man at the corner making eyes at you and I couldn't help but notice you staring at the bard when you-"

"Jisoo!"

"Okay, okay, I'll drop it!" Jisoo says, throwing her arms up in surrender, "you still want a snack though?"

Kai nods stiffly. "I'm not sure what I'd like though," he says, "surprise me."

"You got it Kamal," Jisoo says with a wink, before disappearing somewhere under the table, or behind the door? Kai can't quite tell, the women moves almost unbelievably fast. 

All of a sudden, a new sound rings clear. The children squeal and the bar hushes as the sound of the lute floods through the Tavern. It's a familiar tune, one Kai has heard many times before, intricate and delicate sounding, accompanied by the steady beat of clapping hands and stomping feet. Kai turns around as discreetly as possible, immediately seeing the bard, now standing up amongst a myriad of children, clutching his lute in his hand and grinning. Not the wide, gleeful one Kai has seen before, but something softer with an almost nostalgic tinge to it. It makes Kai's heart seize. The bard opens his mouth, and a set of lyrics as familiar as the tune spill out of his lips, his low voice honey smooth and warm to the ear, accompanied by the excited thrum of children at his feet.

Kai can't help but smile.

There's a weird kinship here. Kai has never spoken to the bard before, but he feels some sort of connection with the man never the less. He's also deeply impressed, gorgeous face and beautiful voice aside, it takes a certain amount of charm to be able to silence the entirety of The Innkeeper's Tavern. And yet this young man is, every single customer wrapped around his finger, hanging on every word of his song - even though they've all heard it a million times before. The song is another thing, one that every person on Fiori has grown listening to. Kai remembers his own childhood with the song clearly, their nanny singing it to him and Soobin back when they'd shared a room, lulling them off to dreams about adventure and excitement that the song had always promised. 

_There will come a poet_   
_Whose weapon is His word_   
_He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_   
_Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord_   
_He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord_

It's an old song, a tune Beomgyu has played on his lute more times than he can remember, but one that he loves all the same. The children at the tavern flock around him, eyes bright and hands clasped together in excitement - and who is Beomgyu to rid the youth of some good old fashioned fun? Emphasis on the old fashioned, considering the song they were begging him to sing had been around far before his own existence. Nevertheless, the children seem to be really excited about it, even though he'd played it for them just yesterday

"Please, please, please!" A little girl squeals, "just once more!" 

Beomgyu smiles, recognizing her as the daughter of the town's blacksmith, a usual presence down here.

He sighs, feigning exasperation. "I don't know," he muses, voice taking a dramatic air, "I _did_ just sing it to you guys yesterday."

"Please Beomgyu," a boy says - the baker's son this time, Beomgyu sees this one quite often, "this is the last time we'll ask you to sing it, uh, ever!"

"Is that so?" Beomgyu says with a grin, "well," he sighs dramatically, "considering this is the _last time_..."

The children burst into squeals. Beomgyu grins.

He knows the song by heart, he's a bard, he has to. And while the legend it carries means very little to him, he loves the song all the same. Grew up listening to it - much like the children at the tavern are growing up now. He pulls out his lute, the instrument sturdy and familiar in his hands, always reliable, and runs his fingers over the strings. [A familiar melody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z8zZBBkIRw) runs through the tavern, children squeal, old men look up from their beers, and the barmaid stops pouring a drink to smile at him. Beomgyu stands up, shoots the children a blinding grin, and starts to sing. 

"There will come a soldier, who carries a mighty sword. He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord," Beomgyu spins and prances as he sings, weaving through the tables at the tavern, a flock of children following him as he goes, "Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord. He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord." The grin on Beomgyu's face is unceasing, he looks down at the kids with bright eyes and points to himself as he continues, before shooting them a wink. "There will come a poet, whose weapon is his word. He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord," he narrowly misses jamming into the edge of a table, but laughs and continues all the same, catching the large eyes of the mysterious man in the brown hood for just a second before spinning around and continuing." Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord. He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord."

"There will come a ruler, whose brow is laid in thorn," he sings, this time prancing up to the the makeshift stage on the corner of the bar as people start pulling each other out of their seats and dancing for real, spinning each other around and grabbing one another by the shoulder or the waist. "smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord. Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord. Smeared with oil like David's boy, " As he continues the instrumental part of his song, spinning around and around with the children that surround him, he smiles to see the whole tavern full of townspeople dancing, laughing and singing along to his music, feet tapping and stomping in time with the rhythm of his lute. "Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord  
He will tear your city down ,oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord."

The dancing increases in tempo as the tune gets faster, as if the people at the bar are being guided by it on some sort of metaphysical, supernatural lull. And they all come to a happy stop as Beomgyu does the last three, distinctive strums of his lute, erupting into the cheers when the last vibration of sound finally turns quiet. Whistles and claps flood the air, and Beomgyu does a deep bow, tucking his lute behind his back and grinning widely. The children are a buzz of excitement, running around in streaks of colour in laughter, Beomgyu watches them, endeared, before walking over to wear his coat and boots have been resting all evening. He slips into the boots and slings his lute over his back, but keeps the jacket draped over his arm, the tavern is far too warm to wear it inside. 

He stretches his arms over his head, about to walk over to the bar and get himself a drink, when he feels a small hand tugging at his pant-legs.

"Bard! Sir!" The baker's son says, eyes large as they stare up at him, "can I ask you something?"

Beomgyu chuckles, crouching down to meet the boys eyes, "Well you just did so I don't see why not," he says, reaching a hand to ruffle the boys hair, "also, call me Beomgyu."

The boy nods, starry eyed. "Beom...Gyu," he says slowly, as if testing the word on his tongue, Beomgyu's heart is almost dangerously warmed by the cuteness of it all. "Mhm," he hums in affirmation, "Beomgyu - now, what did you want to ask me?" He smiles down at the child, and the boy quickly ducks his head down - Beomgyu chuckles as he sees the tips of the boys ears going pink. "Uh," he says, "it's just - do you believe in the legend of the song?"

Beomgyu is a little taken aback, eyes going wide. It's not a question Beomgyu gets asked often, but it's one he asked himself all the time as a kid. The legend was an integral part of Fiori's folklore, and Beomgyu, like hundreds of Fiori children, fell asleep listening to it for years upon years. The soldier with his bronze sword, the bard with his silver stringed lute, the king with his golden crown, coming together to bring back joy, love and magic into the kingdom of Fiori. It was ruled as an urban legend though, for the most part. Magic was supposedly long gone from Fiori, and if the authorities were to be believed - something Beomgyu often has trouble doing - gone for good. Beomgyu, however, knows full well that this isn't true.

"Well," Beomgyu says, treading carefully, "I'm not quite sure." The boys shoulder sag in disappointment and Beomgyu lets out a koo. "But," He says, "even though I'm not sure whether it will follow the legend exactly, I do think that one day joy, love, and of course, magic, will be back in Fiori."

The boys eyes turn wide once again. "Bu-But isn't magic bad?"

"Magic is neither good or bad - or well, it's both. It depends on the user, us - and, well, do you think people are bad?"

"Yesterday my friend squished a bug for fun," the boy says, eyebrows knitting together in concentration, "but then she bought me candy!"

"Well, then," Beomgyu says, "I guess magic depends on what the users feeling like doing with it."

"How do you know so much?" The boy asks, wide, excited eyes staring up at Beomgyu expectantly.

"I don't," Beomgyu says with a shrug, standing up and smiling down at the boy, "I just go by what the songs tell me." Beomgyu ruffles the boys hair one last time, before waving. The boy waves back, a slow lazy motion as if we wasn't even aware of it, like he was stuck in some sort of haze. Beomgyu smiles at him one last time, and the boy just stares up at him, eyes shiny and a little glazed over. Beomgyu makes his way to the bar. 

There's only 3 other people at the bar: A tall, mysterious man with a big black cloak and brown leather boots peeking out from under, nursing a mug of beer and talking to Jisoo, the barmaid and also Beomgyu's cousin, on his mothers side, they had the same inky black hair and crinkly eyes. Aside from him, sit Beomgyu's friends, Chaeryeong and Ryujin, on one of their dates. Beomgyu waves a little and they smile back, but he dare not interrupt out of fear of having to third wheel for the 159863th time. Instead, Beomgyu chooses to sit a seat away from the man in the cloak, trying to keep a little bit of distance since, more often than not, strangers in big, black cloaks built for hiding ones identity weren't always to be trusted. Regardless, the minute he did sit down, Jisoo caught his eye and then ushered him a seat over - right next to the man.

Beomgyu stiffly scooted towards the stool Jisoo was gesturing at. The cloaked man didn't turn around to look at him, so Beomgyu had yet to get a glance at his face. He shifted uncomfortably for a second before relaxing in his seat. Jisoo grinned down at him and Beomgyu couldn't resist throwing a smile back. "Good night today?" She asked, pouring him a glass of water and beginning to pull out her tea samples before he even had to ask. "You could say that," he replied, "gotta bunch of tips and the kids were extra excited tonight, but not much else." Beomgyu took a large gulp of his water as Jisoo hummed in response. "Ah-let me introduce you to my friend then! Beomgyu this is Kamal, and Kamal, this is Beomgyu, my cousin, and the best bard in town - familial relationships aside and all."

Beomgyu laughed, "you flatter me, cousin," he said, before turning to face the cloaked man, "it's nice to meet you."

The man hesitated for a bit, before turning to face Beomgyu and clutching his hand in his, shaking it twice. "It's good to meet you to, you were great out there."

"Thank you-"

_Oh._

_Oh Okay._

Beomgyu was usually pretty good with beautiful people, able to keep his head clear and his tongue from slipping - it was just that usually beautiful didn't entail the most handsome person Beomgyu had ever seen in his life. Kamal had long dark hair, somehow messy and neat all at one, sweeping across his face and under his ears in well kept sweeps of what Beomgyu could only assume was softness. He had gorgeous eyes, intense and lidded and _dark_ especially in contrast with his pale skin, coupled with thick brows, a strong nose, stronger jaw, and lips spread into a small smile. Even through his cloak, Beomgyu could tell he was strong, tall and broad with shoulders that made Beomgyu want to shrink into his own. 

"Hi," Beomgyu breathed.

The man stared at him wordlessly for a few seconds, beforing coughing out a "h-hello."

The two of them quickly looked away from each other, only to meet Jisoo's pointed gaze, her eyebrow raised and lips baring the faintest hints of a smile. She shook her head, muttering something Beomgyu couldn't hear over the heavy beating of his heart. It was so loud in fact, that Beomgyu was worried Kamal could hear it from next to him. Jisoo shot him a pointed look as she placed a cup of tea in front of him. "So, um," Beomgyu says, trying to make conversation, "what brings you to the tavern."

"I'm actually a sort of regular here," Kamal says, smiling, "well, not like regular-regular, but once or twice a month at least - I'm not surprised you haven't noticed before considering the amount of men in mysterious cloaks around here."

Beomgyu lets out a light laugh, "fair enough," he says, "so why are you here today."

"Well, today's a rough day - for, uh, the kingdom and what not, with Prince Soobin and, uh, everything."

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in 3 hours and idk what it is yet hope yall enjoy anyway uh write more beomkaihyun taegyukai idk idk what do we call them


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